Re-Enforcing Support

ABSTRACT

A reinforcing accessory has a footer that fits beneath the sidewalk of a swimming pool cage, above ground pool, storage shed, and mobile homes for reinforcement. As many reinforcing poles as desired can be used to ensure that the cage is fully supported against high winds.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the general art of basins or swimmingpools, and to the particular field of accessories for basins or swimmingpools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to transportableswimming pools or basins for the storage of liquids, and which includewalls which can be assembled to form a basin or pool, such walls beingcovered on the side facing the water with a synthetic resin sheet liner.Hereafter reference will be made to swimming pools, without therebylimiting the use of such basins or pools necessarily to swimming. Thesepools generally include a sidewall which is self-supporting, which canreadily be assembled and which has supporting and sealing materials soarranged that a synthetic resin material, such as glass fiber reinforcedpolyester resin, can advantageously be used for the liner.

Demountable or so-called portable basins and other structures, andespecially swimming pool structures, have been the subject ofconsiderable interest in recent years. Many of the so-calledprefabricated and transportable basins or pools are designed for easyand ready on-the-site assembly and construction by minimally skilledworkmen. Customarily, such constructions involve interconnection of aplurality of a similar modular, prefabricated wall units and additionalsupporting members which assemble either by interlock or by interlockand/or bolting. Ordinarily, for simplicity, they are constructed of aminimum of modular building or structural elements and the ultimate sizeand shape is variable depending upon how many of the modular units areassembled to make the particular structure. In the case of a swimmingpool the length and the height of the swimming pool wall is ordinarilyarbitrarily determined by the ultimate size desired with as many unitsbeing capable of assembly together to form any particular size of basinor pool as may be desired. Normally the height of the pool and the depthof water which is contained in the pool is a factor to be consideredsince the depth of pool determines essentially the head of watermaintained within the vessel or chamber formed and this, in turn,imposes certain minimal strength requirements on the structure.

While these structures have had considerable success, they have certaindrawbacks that should be addressed if continued commercial success is tobe achieved. For example, in certain environmental conditions, such as ahigh wind situation as might occur during a storm, these structures maybe subject to damage by the high winds. While the basic structure couldbe initially formed to account for such high winds, such an approach maybe expensive.

Therefore, there is a need for a means to protect structures such asswimming pools against high winds and which can be easy and efficient toinstall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by areinforcing accessory that has a footer that fits beneath the sidewalkof a swimming pool and a body that is attached to the cage of the poolso that cage is reinforced. As many reinforcing poles as desired can beused to ensure that the cage is fully supported against high winds.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention willbe, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following figures and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features, andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe invention, and be protected by the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The invention can be better understood with reference to the followingdrawings and description. The components in the figures are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustratingthe principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, likereferenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views.

FIG. 1 is a view of a reinforcing accessory embodying the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is shows an enclosure frame or cage substantially enclosing aswimming pool.

FIG. 3 is an enlarge view of an anchor accessory anchoring an enclosureframe to a basin of a swimming pool, such as a sidewalk of a swimmingpool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the presentinvention is embodied in a swimming pool reinforcing accessory 10 thatwill reinforce the side of a swimming pool or basin against the effectsof high winds. Accessory 10 comprises a footer 12 which is locatedbeneath a sidewalk SW of a swimming pool S in use to be held in place bythe sidewalk. Footer 12 includes a first end 14 which is an inside endwhen the footer is in use and a second end 16 which is an outside endwhen the footer is in use. The terms “inside” and “outside” are takenwith reference to the sidewalk of the swimming pool. A hinge element 20is mounted on outside end 16 of the footer.

A support pole 30 is attached to the footer and includes a body 32, afirst end 34 of the body which is a top end when the support pole is inuse, a second end 36 of the body which is a bottom end when the supportpole is in use and a longitudinal axis 38 which extends between thefirst end of the body and the second end of the body. Second end 36 isconnected to hinge element 20 so the body can be adjusted with respectto the footer. The support pole 30 may be substantially longer than thefooter 12.

A plurality of fastener-accommodating holes, such as hole 50, aredefined through the body at locations that are spaced apart from eachother along longitudinal axis 38 of the body. Each fastener, such asfastener 60, of a plurality of fasteners, extends through afastener-accommodating hole to attach the body 32 of the support poleand to an enclosure frame or cage 70 that may enclose the swimming pool.In certain areas where bugs, such as mosquitoes, are common, enclosureframes 70 are used to enclose the pool in order to keep bugs away fromthe swimming pool area so that swimmers can enjoy the pool area withoutbeing bothered by the bugs.

Each fastener may include a threaded body 62 that may be embedded intothe side of the frame 70. A combination of a head 64, a washer 66, and abolt element 68 may be used to ensure that the fastener securely anchorsthe body 32 to the side of the frame 70. The footer 12 may be securelyanchored to the SW by inserting a screw 72 through the SW and into thefooter 12. The accessory 10 substantially anchors the frame 70 to the SWof the pool to substantially resist high winds from causing damage onthe frame and the pool.

In use, the accessory 10 may be installed during the installation of thepool or after the pool has been installed. To install the accessory 10after the pool has been installed, the footer 12 may be insertedunderneath the SW of the pool and a first screw 72 may be insertedthrough the SW and into the footer 12 or from the outside using a secondscrew 74 as shown in FIG. 3. In situations when the frame 70 is notused, the fastener 60 may be removed from the frame 70 and the body 32,and the body 32 may be rotated downward about the hinge element 20 andlaid flat substantially flat with the ground G.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of thisinvention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except inlight of the attached claims and their equivalents.

1. An accessory to anchor an enclosure frame to a sidewalk of a swimmingpool, the accessory comprising: A) a footer which is located beneath thesidewalk of a swimming pool in use to be held in place by the sidewalk,the footer including a first end which is an inside end when the footeris in use and a second end which is an outside end when the footer is inuse; B) a hinge element mounted on the outside end of the footer; C) asupport pole, the support pole being substantially longer than thefooter, the support pole includes (1) a body, (2) a first end of thebody which is a top end when the support pole is in use, (3) a secondend of the body which is a bottom end when the support pole is in use,the second end being connected to the hinge element, (4) a longitudinalaxis which extends between the first end of the body and the second endof the body, and (5) a plurality of fastener-accommodating holes definedthrough the body at locations that are spaced apart from each otheralong the longitudinal axis of the body; D) the support pole beinglocated adjacent to and in contact with the enclosure frame when thesupport pole is in use; and E) a plurality of fasteners each of whichextends through a fastener-accommodating hole to attach the body of thesupport pole to the side of the enclosure frame.
 2. A method ofanchoring an enclosure frame to a sidewalk of a swimming pool, themethod comprising: A) providing an anchor accessory having a hingeelement between a footer and a support pole, the support hole having aplurality of holes adapted to receive fasteners, and the support polebeing substantially longer than the footer; B) inserting the footerunderneath the sidewalk; C) fastening the footer to the sidewalk; and D)fastening the support pole to the side of the enclosure frame such thatthe support pole is approximately perpendicular to the footer.